Plum hair dye delivers that perfect blend of purple richness and red warmth. You want to transform your look with this gorgeous shade, but choosing between deep violet plum, berry tones, or burgundy plum feels overwhelming. Add in questions about permanent versus semi-permanent formulas, and whether it will suit your natural hair color, and you might feel stuck before you even start.
Here’s the good news. Creating stunning plum hair at home is absolutely achievable when you know which shade matches your starting color and how to prep and apply it properly. With the right product choice and technique, you can get salon-quality results from your bathroom.
This guide walks you through everything you need. You’ll learn how to pick your ideal plum shade based on your current hair color, prepare your hair and skin for the best results, apply the dye safely at home, and keep your color looking fresh for weeks. Whether you’re after a subtle plum tint or bold purple statement, you’ll find exactly what you need to get started.
What to know about plum hair dye
Understanding plum hair dye starts with knowing exactly what you’re working with. Plum sits in the middle of the purple spectrum, combining cool violet pigments with warm red tones to create that distinctive rich, dark hue. This balance means plum can adapt to different hair colors more easily than pure purple shades, and it tends to fade more gracefully over time.
The color range and undertones
Plum hair dye covers a wide spectrum from deep burgundy plum through to vibrant violet plum. The exact shade you end up with depends on your starting hair color and the specific product formula you choose. Darker plum shades lean toward burgundy with stronger red undertones, while lighter plum tones show more purple and can even appear lavender-tinted in certain lights. Your natural or pre-lightened base color will interact with these pigments differently, which is why the same plum dye can look completely different on two people.
Plum’s mix of warm and cool tones makes it one of the most versatile and flattering purple shades for various skin tones.
Permanent versus semi-permanent options
Permanent plum dye contains developers that lift your natural color and deposit pigment simultaneously. This formula lasts through multiple washes and requires root touch-ups as your hair grows, but it delivers the deepest, most consistent color. Semi-permanent plum dye coats the hair shaft without using harsh chemicals, gradually fading over 8-28 washes. You can use semi-permanent formulas to test plum before committing, or to add subtle tones to already lightened hair. Demi-permanent falls between these two, lasting longer than semi-permanent but not requiring the same commitment as permanent color.
Step 1. Choose your plum shade
Your starting hair color determines which plum shade will work best and whether you need to lighten first. Dark hair requires different formulas than blonde or pre-lightened hair, and choosing the wrong shade means you’ll either see no color change or end up with an unexpected result. Getting this step right saves you time, money, and potential disappointment.
Assess your current hair color
Hold a strand of your hair up to natural light and identify where you sit on the color spectrum. Virgin dark brown or black hair won’t show much color from direct application of plum dye, even permanent formulas. Medium to light brown hair can achieve burgundy plum tones with permanent dye, while blonde or pre-lightened hair gives you the full range of plum options from deep violet to lighter berry shades. If you’ve previously colored your hair, the existing pigment affects how new color takes, so factor in any red, orange, or brassy tones currently present.
The lighter your starting canvas, the more true-to-bottle your plum shade will appear.
Match your shade to your base
Choose your plum hair dye formula based on this color matching guide:
| Your Current Hair Color | Best Plum Shade | Formula Type |
|---|---|---|
| Black to dark brown | Deep burgundy plum, mahogany plum | Permanent (or pre-lighten first) |
| Medium brown | Rich plum, chocolate plum | Permanent or demi-permanent |
| Light brown to dark blonde | Vibrant plum, berry plum | Permanent, demi, or semi-permanent |
| Blonde to pre-lightened | Any plum shade, violet plum, lavender plum | Semi-permanent or demi-permanent |
Darker natural hair needs permanent formulas with higher developer strength (typically 20 or 30 volume) to lift and deposit color simultaneously. Lighter or pre-lightened hair works beautifully with gentler semi-permanent options that won’t cause unnecessary damage. If you want vivid purple plum tones on naturally dark hair, you’ll need to pre-lighten sections or your whole head first, then apply your chosen plum shade over that lighter base.
Step 2. Get your hair and skin ready
Proper preparation makes the difference between patchy, uneven color and professional-looking results. Skipping prep steps leads to staining on your skin, dye that won’t take evenly, or damage you could have prevented. Spending 15 minutes getting everything ready means your plum hair dye applies smoothly and lasts longer.
Wash and dry your hair properly
Wash your hair 24 to 48 hours before you plan to apply your plum hair dye. This timing allows your scalp’s natural oils to return, which protects your skin during the coloring process while still leaving hair clean enough for the dye to penetrate. Skip conditioner in this pre-dye wash, as it creates a barrier that blocks pigment from entering the hair shaft. On application day, make sure your hair is completely dry before you start, as damp hair dilutes the formula and creates uneven color distribution.
Your hair’s natural oils act as a protective barrier during coloring, reducing scalp irritation without blocking color absorption.
Protect your skin and workspace
Apply petroleum jelly or a thick moisturizer along your hairline, behind your ears, and down the back of your neck. This creates a barrier that prevents plum pigment from staining your skin. Put on an old t-shirt you don’t mind ruining, and drape old towels over your shoulders and bathroom surfaces. Gather these items before you open your dye:
- Disposable gloves (most kits include these, but have extras ready)
- Hair sectioning clips
- Applicator brush or bottle (depending on your chosen product)
- Timer or phone for tracking processing time
- Wide-tooth comb for distributing color
- Plastic wrap or shower cap (optional, helps retain heat)
Set up your workspace in a well-ventilated bathroom with good lighting so you can see every section clearly as you work.
Step 3. Apply your plum dye at home
Now you’re ready to apply your plum hair dye using a technique that ensures even coverage from roots to ends. Working in sections prevents you from missing patches and lets you saturate every strand thoroughly. Follow these steps exactly as written, and you’ll achieve consistent, vibrant plum color throughout your hair.
Section your hair for even coverage
Divide your dry hair into four equal quadrants by parting it down the middle from forehead to nape, then from ear to ear across the top of your head. Clip three sections out of the way while you work on the fourth. If you have thick or long hair, divide each quadrant into two or three smaller sections so you can coat every strand without rushing. Start at the back of your head where hair tends to be darkest and process slowest, moving forward toward your face.
Work through each section systematically
Mix your plum hair dye according to the package instructions, ensuring you blend it thoroughly for consistent color. Apply the dye to your roots first, using your applicator brush to paint a generous layer directly onto your scalp and the first inch of hair. Work quickly but carefully through each section following this method:
- Unclip one section and divide it into smaller subsections about 1cm thick
- Brush dye from roots to mid-lengths on the underside of the subsection
- Flip the strand over and coat the top side completely
- Pull the dye through to your ends with your gloved fingers or comb
- Repeat for all subsections in that quadrant before moving to the next
- Pile colored sections on top of your head as you finish them
Once you’ve covered all sections, comb through your entire head with a wide-tooth comb to distribute the dye evenly and remove any clumps. Make sure you can see dye coating every visible strand, adding more product to any sparse areas.
The key to professional results is thorough saturation, not the amount of time the dye sits on your hair.
Time and rinse correctly
Set your timer as soon as you finish applying dye to your last section. Most plum hair dyes process in 25 to 45 minutes, but check your specific product instructions. Covering your hair with a shower cap can help retain warmth and improve color penetration. When your timer goes off, rinse your hair with lukewarm water until the water runs completely clear. This usually takes 3 to 5 minutes of thorough rinsing. Apply the conditioner included in your kit (or a color-safe conditioner if your product didn’t include one), leave it for 2 to 3 minutes, then rinse again with cool water to seal your cuticles and lock in your new plum shade.
Step 4. Look after and refresh your colour
Your plum hair color looks stunning right after application, but keeping it vibrant requires specific aftercare. Purple and red pigments fade faster than other hair colors because their molecules sit larger on the hair surface rather than penetrating deeply. Without proper maintenance, your rich plum will turn muddy or brassy within weeks instead of lasting for months.
Wash with color-safe products
Wait 72 hours after dyeing before your first wash to let the color molecules fully oxidize and lock into your hair shaft. When you do wash, use lukewarm or cool water only because hot water opens your cuticles and releases pigment with every rinse. Switch to a sulfate-free shampoo designed for color-treated hair, as sulfates strip color aggressively. Wash your hair no more than two to three times per week, using dry shampoo between washes to absorb oil without fading your plum shade. Apply a purple or violet toning conditioner once weekly to neutralize any brassy undertones that emerge as red pigments fade faster than purple ones.
Reducing your wash frequency by just one day per week can extend your plum color’s vibrancy by up to two weeks.
Refresh your color between applications
Your plum hair dye will naturally fade, but you can revive the intensity without re-dyeing completely. Apply a color-depositing mask or semi-permanent plum treatment every four to six weeks to boost vibrancy. These products work by adding fresh pigment to your hair surface without chemicals that cause damage. For roots, touch up new growth every six to eight weeks with permanent plum dye if you used permanent initially, or reapply semi-permanent formula over your entire head when color becomes noticeably lighter. Mix a small amount of purple or plum semi-permanent dye into your regular conditioner to create a custom color-refreshing treatment you can use weekly, adjusting the ratio based on how much intensity you want to maintain.
Ready to try plum at home
You now have everything you need to create beautiful plum hair in your own bathroom. Start by choosing the right shade for your current hair color, prep your hair and skin properly, apply the dye systematically in sections, and maintain your color with the right aftercare products. Following these steps exactly gives you salon-quality results without the salon price tag or appointment wait times.
Your plum transformation starts with selecting the right product. Browse plum and purple hair dyes at Smart Beauty to find vegan, cruelty-free formulas enriched with plex technology that protects your hair while delivering vibrant color. Every kit includes everything you need for application, and you’ll love knowing your plum hair dye contains no PPD, ammonia, or resorcinol.
Don’t wait any longer. Your perfect plum shade is ready for you, and you already have the complete knowledge to apply it for stunning, professional-looking results.
